You must visit the Sursock Residence in Sawfar!

Sawfar

is a Lebanese village in Aley. This region is famous for being calm; that’s why it is visited by thousands of tourists in summer! Plus, it’s a great destination for road trips! In the 19th and 20th century, Sawfar was a favorite summer destination for Beirut’s elites. The region was full of ravishing villas, among them the beautiful Donna Maria Sursock Residence.

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The palace, which served as a summer residence, was built by Donna Maria’s husband in 1909. The Sursocks also had a hotel in the village, the Sofar Grand Hotel, which was built directly in front of the train station. The hotel-casino attracted gamblers in summer.

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During the Lebanese civil war, militias looted and damaged the villa and the hotel. The residence is currently inhabited, but small steps are being taken to renovate the building.

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Donna Maria Sursock Residence is currently being served as a wedding venue. The architecture and the design of the building attract a lot of people to visit it and take amazing shots!

A post shared by Wissam Akiki (@wissamakiki4) on Sep 17, 2017 at 5:47am PDT